His Heart
by SqueakiestMouse
Summary: When Daryl saves Beth at the Governor's siege on the prison they find themselves surviving in the wild alone. As their companionship grows both develop feelings that are not only confusing but also potentially dangerous. The opinion of others, their personalities, their pasts, and their emotions all come into play as they explore first love - in the apocalypse.
1. Chapter 1

I do not own The Walking Dead or any of it's characters.

Everything was in chaos, the screams of Beth's people intermingled with the groans of walkers and gunshot after gunshot.

The gun she had been using ran out of ammo shortly after the horde had broken down the fence, their only protection.

She only had one extra clip on her at the time and that was gone within minutes.

Maggie had told her to stay in the bus, but as soon as she was gone Beth had thought of Judith and the other kids. They were probably terrified. As she watched more of her people dying, some of them parents of the children, She jumped out of the bus and made a beeline for the prison.

The kids weren't in the library, where they were told to go in case of emergency, so Beth checked the cell Judith had last been in. She was gone, as well as her diaper bag and car seat.

She made it out of the prison just in time to watch the bus drive away.

Beth trembled in fear as she ran, looking for any one she knew. A bullet whizzed by her head and she couldn't help but scream and duck, falling hard on her knee in the process.

Snarls erupted behind her. There were walkers, and they were hungry. Beth stood painfully, her knee screaming in protest.

She stumbled away from the walkers just in time, a rotting hand barely missing her hair. Her body screamed as she pushed herself to run from the murderous beings behind her. She stuck to the fence, narrowing down the sides of her that could be used as a meal.

She looked to the left and saw dead bodies, most of them unidentifiable. In the back of her mind, She knew one of them was her father's.

Anguish took her legs out, and she tumbled to the ground against the chain link fence. She hooked her fingers in it and tried to pull herself up, hoping that she could push past her weakness.

She heard a gunshot close enough to cause her head to ring and looked up to see a man she'd never met before, covered in blood and grinning.

"Hello little girl." He growled, he cocked his gun and held it to her head. "Looks like you've got yourself into some trouble."

Beth choked back a cry of fear as she stared down the barrel of the gun. Slowly, she raised her eyes to his.

"P-please-"

He laughed, "I tell you what if I don't kill you now you gotta repay me somehow." He hooked a finger in the belt loop of his jeans and gazed at her lecherously.

"No!"

He smirked and leaned down to grab her arm, his fingers bruising her pale skin immediately. Just as quickly as he'd grabbed her his fingers went limp.

His lifeless body fell over her, an arrow protruding from his temple.

She was confused until a familiar hand yanked him off of her.

"Get up girl." Daryl yelled, unceremoniously lifting her to her feet. "We need to leave, now!"

He dragged her behind him with one hand, the other held his crossbow at the ready.

From the sounds of the snarls behind them they had been running when he happened upon her and the man.

"Where is everyone else?"

"Hell if I know, everyone split up in the commotion. People were dropping like flies, groups of walkers separated us. They're lucky if they lived."

Beth felt like crying once more, the farther Daryl dragged her away from the prison, away from the place she had seen as a safe haven, the more the sorrow threatened to drag her away.

"They killed my daddy." she whispered, her throat so swollen from repressed sobs she almost couldn't speak, "They just... cut his... just like a-"

"Beth." Daryl turned quickly, looking her in the eyes. She was taken aback by the intensity in his gaze, "Now isn't the time."

"When is the time?!" Beth screams, surprising them both, "I'm tired of losing them all! I was never ready to say goodbye to any of them, but it happened anyways..." she wailed, her legs finally collapsing underneath her.

"God dammit," Daryl muttered under his breath before one of his arms hooked under Beth's legs, the other under her back.

As he carried her away from their home she sobbed. Her hands covered Her face in attempt to at least muffle the sounds.

Eventually he stopped, depositing her in the middle of a field. The sun was low in the sky and she didn't move from where he sat her. She heard him fall down beside her, a grunt of pain falling from his lips.

She looked up and watched crows circling the field, biting lip to stop any more tears from falling, deciding she'd embarrassed herself enough for one day.

Daryl worked quickly and efficiently as he set up camp. It was dark now, and after they rested he'd stood without a single word and strode away.

She'd followed him, of course, she may be weak but she wasn't stupid. Daryl was her only shot at survival.

He wrapped a string with some cans tied to it in a perimeter around them so that anything that got near would be heard, then he dug a hole and dropped a few pieces of a bush and some twigs into it.

In no time he had a fire started, a small one at that but the light comforted her.

She wrapped my arms around her middle and stared at it as she listened to the sounds of cans being opened.

"Daryl?"

He grunted from his seat across the fire.

"Thank you."

She looked up in time to catch a shrug from him.

"That man, he wanted to do bad things to me and I didn't know how to defend myself. He had a gun and he was big. I was so scared."

Daryl looked up, his blue eyes the only color around them.

" I'm also sorry," she continued, "I'm so sorry you're stuck with me. I'm useless. I couldn't save anyone back there... not even myself." she remembered the way that man had looked at her, and how helplessly scared she'd been.

"Don't be stupid." His low voice told her.

"I'm not! Look at me! I'm nothing but a stick of a little girl too inexperienced and scared to do anything but cry while some man who barely even knows her puts his ass on the line!"

Daryl just looks at her some more, the firelight dancing across his features.

"If you want to think that bout yourself I won't stop you." He tells her. There isn't a trace of sympathy on his face. In fact there wasn't a trace of anything.

Beth bit her lower lip hard, so hard blood oozed from it. She didn't want to cry again. She wouldn't let him see her cry again. She looked down to her lap, picking at the material of her jeans.

Beth jumps as Daryl sits down next to her. She hadn't even heard him move.

He holds a granola bar and a water bottle out to her, but she doesn't take them.

"I'm not hungry."

"I don't care." He drops the items in her lap.

This was Daryl she was stuck with, she remembered, Daryl Dixon. A man who went from sullen and silent to wild and dangerous at the flip of a switch.

The only time she'd ever seen him relax was when he was holding Judith. It was as if he transformed, his eyes and voice softening as he talked gently to the little girl.

He never gave anyone the same treatment, and that scared her. Beth craved human contact, affection, socialization. If he so much as called her a name she'd probably cry. She couldn't imagine getting nothing but the occasional grunt for the next however long they were alone.

As she imagined spending the rest of her life with him, however short it may be, dealing with his silences and moods she was filled with fear and loneliness.

And she was crying again.

She'd never been a quiet crier, but she didn't care. She sobbed loudly and ugly into the night.

Daryl's arm wrapped around her head and his hand covered her mouth to muffle the sounds.

"Be quiet, yer gonna get us killed." He hissed, his jaw tight.

If anything his words made her cry harder.

He growled and jerked Beth to the side, crushing her head and torso against his chest. His other hand settled on her arm, locking his fingers around it to hold her in place.

His body was tense, but it was hot and she could feel his heartbeat beneath the leather of his vest and his body moved as he breathed.

She calmed down a lot faster than she thought she would. The last time she'd cried like that Maggie had held her for close on an hour before she'd been able to calm Beth down.

One minute in Daryl's arms and she was relaxed. Maybe because she was scared of him. She really wasn't sure, but she liked the feeling of his arms around her. They were warm, large, and most importantly: safe.


	2. Chapter 2

She fell asleep a while ago. He could hear it in her breathing the moment that she did.

But he continued to hold her, crushing her close to his chest like a damn stuffed animal.

The fire was low, but it wasn't cold and the moon gave more than enough light to see by.

So he took the time to study her.

Her face was nuzzled into his chest, her blond curls brushing his chin and her breath ghosting across his chest.

She was a pretty little thing, back at the prison the young boys had followed her like dogs, lapping up any attention she gave him. Of course she had never noticed, making her that much more attractive.

But she was young, painfully so. Not a single wrinkle lined the ivory expanse of her skin. Her cheeks were pink with vitality and her teeth white and straight.

Her eyes were definitely the most drawing thing about her. They were dark and luminous, the color of a still lake at midnight. They reflected the stars in them and caused anyone looking into them to drown.

Daryl had avoided her, mostly out of guilt and shame for the way he thought of her. But his eyes always followed her, watching the way she interacted with the others.

She was caring and sweet, and so understanding about everyone's quirks and reservations. She had befriended Michone with one conversation, and had a way of soothing all of the kids.

She was insecure though, Daryl knew for sure after her little speech. She sounded truly apologetic that he was stuck with her. It should be the other way around.

Daryl wasn't gentle, he wasn't kind, and for damn sure he wasn't optimistic.

She needed someone like that, not a redneck asshole probably twice her age that thought she was pretty.

But here he was holding her, letting her rest her pretty little head against his chest, keeping her closer than anyone had been in his entire life.

Right next to his heart.

Daryl didn't sleep that night, his mind too worked up over the events. He simply held her and waited for the sun to come up.

He liked the way that she had blushed when she woke up, still wrapped around him. She'd tensed, relaxed, then tensed again and looked up like she'd been caught stealing candy from the gas station.

"S-sorry." She'd mumbled, her pink cheeks glowing starkly against her pale skin.

He didn't say anything, like usual. His tongue had been thick with awkwardness, and his mood was dangerously dark.

He was angry, sad, and ashamed. They'd managed to feel safe and hopeful in the prison, easily forgetting how unforgivable the new world was.

She peeled her face away from him and stumbled around the camp for a while, reminding him of a butterfly fluttering in a corn field.

He had liked watching her like that, liked knowing he had caused her to be nervous.

As soon as he was aware of his pride in flustering the young girl he cursed himself, shutting down for the rest of the morning.

"We have to do something" She stood abruptly, her entire body taut with anxiety. "We have to go back... we can't be the only survivors."

It was night time, two days since the prison fell. They hadn't exchanged more than a few words the entire time, and he knew it was taking a toll on her. She was irritable, wouldn't eat her food, glared at him as if she was willing him to speak with her.

She waited for him to reply, but he didn't. He wouldn't. He didn't want her to know the dark path his thoughts were on. He couldn't help it. He didn't think most of them made it out alive, and those that did would die soon. Strength was in numbers, and those numbers were down.

Not to mention they were all stricken with grief and exhausted. He and Beth had found water but had very little luck finding food. He doubted any of the others were faring better.

"Your'e a tracker. You can track. If we head out now-" She stared at him in disbelief as he was just staring at the flames, trying to ignore her. "Fine, if you won't track I will."

Daryl looked down, chewing on the inside of his cheek to stop from saying anything as she leaned over him to grab the large hunting knife he'd sunk into the ground. She left without a word.

He didn't like angry Beth. He felt like an ass for making the usually sweet Beth yell at him, but at the same time it thrilled him.

She'd been fiery as she'd left with the knife, looking invincible.

But he knew better, so he put out the fire and followed after her.

He couldn't help but feel dread when he found the footsteps.

That dread only increased when Beth named off who the foot prints could belong to. It hit him hard, knowing how she knew what shoe size they wore.

She had cared about every single one of those kids, had taken care of them probably more than their own parents had at the time.

She was hurting, but hopeful. She truly believed they were alive.

He told her the tracks were old, and he wanted her to understand that they were just kids. They had no idea how to defend themselves or enough sense to be quiet.

They were dead.

Her voice left no room for argument though, when she told him they we're alive. Her eyes had crackled with electricity, sparking with anger.

"They got out in a hurry. Things went bad." He told her.

"Wouldn't kill you to have a little faith."

"Faith? Faith ain't done shit for us. Sure as hell didn't do nothing for your father." As soon as he said it regretted it. He turned to look at her and he saw the anger back in her eyes, but also the hurt.

He managed to give her an apologetic face, and he considered saying sorry even though he didn't believe in being sorry.

She started picking the grapes, telling him something about the kids being hungry.

He gave her his handkerchief, seeing it as a peace offering of a sort.

They fought well together, Daryl decided. After they'd killed that walker he'd looked up at her, noted the heaving of her chest and the fresh splatters of blood on her chest.

She was fierce in that moment, reminding him of a warrior woman. He didn't tell her, though.

He liked fighting with her, he knew instinctively that she had his back, and he sure as hell would protect her.

Less than a week alone together and already he could feel himself latching onto her. He was like that in a way, loyal to the fault like a rabid dog.

He'd bark, and maybe sometimes even bite, but once his trust was earned he never left.

She followed behind him silently and he found himself comforted by the sound of her foot falls behind him.

They were quiet, due partly because of her tiny stature but also because she was knew how to walk in the woods. He liked that, and he guessed her daddy must've taught her how.

When the trail ended Daryl wasn't surprised, but it didn't lessen the blow.

He killed the walkers quickly and ignored the small remains at his feet. He stored the feelings of guilt and sorrow that they dug up deep inside himself and walked away.

But then she had to start that godawful crying thing again. Her shoulders shook from the intensity of her sobs and her breathing became dangerously shallow and erratic.

Daryl found himself dropping his crossbow and walking over to her, turning her away from the bloody mess of kids she used to read stories to after dinner.

"I-I thought... We were too late. I should of made us look sooner."

"It ain't your fault." He murmured, trying his best to sound soothing.

She looked up at him, her eyes big and blue in the bright after noon sun.

It was sweltering out there, but when their eyes met and he was up close and personal with the intensity of her tear filled gaze goosebumps broke out across his skin.

"Just breathe,"

He took in an exaggerated breath and she followed suit. They breathed together until she was calm again. When he felt they were ready to leave he unwound his fingers from around the soft flesh of her arm.

He hated how he reacted to her. Years of distancing himself had made him numb to the world around him. He hadn't felt much since Merle's death, but being alone with Beth had made him feel something other than anger.

That night she didn't talk much. She stared at the fire, her brows drawn together in thought.

Eventually she fell asleep.

Daryl covered her up with his vest, noting the chill in the air.

She snuggled underneath it, and he spent a few moments just looking at her.

He didn't want her to die, he decided. He needed her to live.


	3. Chapter 3

Thunder rumbled ominously as Beth and Daryl ran.

They'd been running for a while, Beth wasn't sure for how long.

Every step sent pinpricks of pain down her legs and her side felt like it was on fire. The loud thunder and bright flashes of lightening felt like knives to her brain.

She ignored it all, pushing herself to keep up with Daryl.

The pack behind them snarled, their individual growls seemingly merging into one low constant alarm.

They broke through the foliage, both of them barely stopping before they ran into the debilitated car in front of them.

She took in one large and painful gasp of oxygen before Daryl said something, motioning in front of him. They rounded the car and Beth tried to see if the car would run, already knowing it probably wouldn't.

Daryl kept his crossbow pointed at the snarls that got closer and closer.

They locked eyes and he gestured for her to follow.

She climbed in the trunk with him, stamping down the panic she felt at being trapped in such a tiny space with walkers ready to claw their way in.

She trusted him though, so she didn't hesitate in scrambling in.

He followed, his wide shoulders pushing her against the walls of the trunk. He tied the door shut just in time. Angry snarls came from all around them and their bodies thumped against the car, shaking it.

Beth trembled in fear, biting her lip to keep from whimpering.

Daryl had his crossbow at the ready, pointed towards the sliver that lit up with lightening every once in a while. She could see his eyes, an icy cool blue that kept her rooted to the spot.

At the moment they were calm and focused, keeping her steady in the storm that raged around them.

But sometimes they pissed her off, made her nervous, caused her stomach to flutter. Once or twice she'd caught her heart jumping when they met eyes.

It was embarrassing, really. She was sure he saw right through her.

He was handsome in the way that a mountain lion was. She could admire his beauty, revel in his strength and ferocity. But he was terrifying and dominant.

He had her shaking in her boots.

She was as inexperienced as they could come, two boyfriends and a handful of kisses scratched on her lip stick tube.

But still, she was attracted to him. She idolized him, and she well, hell, she was crushing on him. Like a stupid teenager. She was eighteen, legally an adult in the old world. And now, in this world, she'd seen enough for a lifetime.

He treated her like a kid, or like she was diseased.

He didn't touch her, only spoke when spoken too. He wasn't interested, but she couldn't help herself from fantasizing.

Especially as she had watched the play of his muscles as he washed his hands in the river they sat next to earlier that day.

He'd taken off his shirt, dipping it in the river and wringing it out a few times before hanging it on a branch.

She'd been surprised, and couldn't help from watching.

Her stomach was in knots and she wanted badly to touch the tattoos that adorned his body, and kiss the scars on his back.

She'd seen them back on the farm, she remembered it clear as day. She'd cried for him, and then later on prayed for the first time in a while.

She'd prayed for his happiness and the proper punishment for who ever had hurt him.

Now she was mesmerized by them, thinking about how they weren't all that pretty. But something about them made Daryl down right beautiful in her eyes.

The thought had made Beth blush and she looked at the ground, making patterns in the dirt.

When he looked back at her she didn't say anything, but she blushed harder and hoped he wouldn't notice.

She was already useless, she didn't want annoying or weird to be added on to that.

Now, as she lay next to him in the trunk, she felt as if she were tied in knots.

She could feel how close they were, practically squished into the tight space.

She giggled silently, likening them to a can of sardines.

She shifted, hoping the move seemed natural, and founder herself even closer to him. She felt her cheek touching the bare skin of his arm.

His skin felt hot, and he smelled like the woods.

He didn't move from her, but she supposed he probably couldn't move, so Beth took the opportunity to hook her leg around his hip, snaking an arm over his torso.

"What are you doing?" His voice was nothing but a growl in her ear and his stubble scraped against her temple when he spoke.

She swallowed nervously, "Just getting comfortable. We ain't getting out anytime soon."

He didn't relax, but she didn't mind. She was soaking up every moment of being stuck with him like this. She was almost thankful for the walkers.

She'd been craving affection for a while. Back at the prison she was always hugging or cuddling some one.

Her and Jimmy's relationship had been mostly lying in her bed wrapped together, not speaking.

She'd enjoyed it, but this was different.

Daryl's body was hard, his chest and abdomen like marble beneath her. His skin wasn't soft, it was rough and so hot she felt as if she were burning.

She really liked this.

"It's okay Daryl." She whispered.

Her words caused his body to relax against hers and she almost moaned at the feeling of his arm sliding underneath her and pulling her against him.

She sighed, burrowing her head in the crook of his neck and shoulder.

"Thank you," She whispered in his ear. "Thank you so much, Daryl."

"Stop." His voice was strained.

"No, you deserve it. You saved me, and you've done a lot for me-"

"Beth," he snapped turning towards her slightly. Lightening flashed and she was aware of how close their faces were.

She was fixated on his lips, wondering if they tasted as wild as he was.

Jimmy had only kissed her once. It'd been as awkward as he was, and she'd remembered wondering when it was going to end.

Zach had been a good kisser she supposed, it'd been nice and distracting. But she'd never craved it, never initiated it.

But suddenly she wanted to throw herself at Daryl, press their lips together and do that thing with their tongues that she'd seen Maggie and Glenn doing on occasion.

But she was terrified, wondering what would happen if he didn't like it. How would she survive the humiliation? And then spend the rest of her life with him, knowing she was nothing but a desperate little girl.

"Sorry." She murmured instead, burying her head back into his neck.

After a while he relaxed again and she thought of nothing, just laid in his arms the entire night, too afraid to sleep.

When morning came she wanted nothing more than to stay wrapped up in him for the rest of their lives.

But she knew it'd never happen, so she let him help her out of the trunk.

Neither of them mentioned the night they spent in each other's embrace. But it meant something to Beth, and she hoped it meant something to him as well.

She wanted nothing more than to be able to touch him all the time. She wanted to hug him, and kiss him, and see his back again.

She was infatuated with him, and by god she didn't want to die without knowing how it felt to be alive with him, not just surviving.

The next few days she tried to brainstorm some way to maker seem less childish. She came up with nothing.

If she was being honest with herself she wasn't very womanly. Her breasts were tiny, and body thin. She was so blonde it hurt and her eyes were baby blue. She couldn't look younger if she tried.

She'd been seventeen when this all started, the week before she'd been asked if she was under fourteen. She'd said yes to get the free movie ticket, but secretly she'd been frustrated.

Here she was, definitely eighteen by now, and she probably didn't even look legal enough to drive.

Daryl spent most of his time looking after her, teaching her better ways to wield her knife and little trivia about tracking. She perked up every time he spoke. His voice had a gravelly tone that made his words impossible to resist. She resented the teacher/student rule they'd fallen into.

She wanted to be his companion, his friend, his... something else.

She thought of what her sister might do and she smiled. Maggie had told her the story of her first kiss. She'd been fourteen, she said, drunk on some whiskey her friend had stolen from her daddy's desk. She'd practically thrown herself at the most popular guy at their little gathering and kissed his socks off.

"It was just natural," Maggie told Beth after she recounted the story, "My body wanted to do it and my mind was too drunk to deny it."

 _That's it! Alcohol!_

Beth was pissed when he led her back to the camp, but something she had said made Daryl agree to help her on her search for booze.

Or perhaps it had something due to the entertained glint in his eyes as she'd given him the finger.

He had liked it, she thought, he liked her being angry at him. Or perhaps he found it amusing.

She didn't mind it really, she was just glad he thought something about her at all.

She found herself scared all too often that he was bored with her. That he'd just give up and leave her alone in the middle of the woods one afternoon.

The thought terrified her for two reasons.

The first being that she'd surely die.

The other being how alone Daryl would be. She couldn't bear the thought of him alone in this world, no one to watch his back or made sure he drank enough water to keep going.

Beth was used to caring for her others, it was just who she was.

But never had it been like this.

She was scared because she knew that even if he abandoned her, signing her own death warrant, she'd be thinking of him instead of herself until her last breath.

She cared about him more than herself.


	4. Chapter 4

Beth's arms around him kept him from falling as he cried silently and pitifully.

Somewhere in the back of his mind he was ashamed, crying like a damn baby in front of a girl, no less.

But he was also glad she was here. He'd finally opened up and told her how he felt about it all. He'd spilled his feelings of guilt and humiliation, shame and sorrow, and anger rooted so deep he could barely feel anything else most days.

She took all of that in, and she still slid her arms under his and around his waist, pulling him against her small body.

Her embrace was cool even in the hot afternoon sun. It felt better than rain would at the moment.

It kept him there as the tears trailed down his cheeks and dripped onto the leaves beneath him.

He turned around, dropping to his knees in front of her, wrapping his arms around her waist and pressing his head into her stomach.

Her fingers sifted through his hair hesitantly and he nuzzled his face against her stomach in appreciation.

He had needed this, the comfort of another human. But he hadn't known, he'd never needed it before.

Something about being vulnerable in her arms felt right.

Eventually she fell in front of him, placing her small hands on his shoulders.

"It wasn't your fault, Daryl. You did the best you could, we both did. There was nothing we could have done."

She moved her hands to his cheeks and he lifted his head to meet her eyes. They pierced him deeply, like an arrow to the heart.

Her hands were soft, like flower petals or a rabbits fur, and so gentle.

"You saved my life, and even if I'm just one person it still makes you a good person." Her eyes searched his and she leaned forward.

He thought for a second she was going to press her lips against his, and as soon as the idea was in his head it stuck and his lips ached for her touch.

But instead her lips caressed his cheek. It was as if she'd branded him with the innocent touch. Her lips were too damn soft and hot. She smelled damnably delicious.

She was like the forbidden fruit, dangling in front of him invitingly for a moment.

Daryl wanted to grab her, pull her close and show her how glad he was she was there with him. He wanted to tell her that even if he could go back he'd still save her, even if it meant everyone else died.

She'd become everything to him within moments it seemed. His world spun out of control for a few seconds before he gravitated towards Beth's eyes again.

She smiled, the expression a punch to Daryl's gut, and stood up.

"I'm still thirsty." She stated, practically gliding away from him.

That night, they talked. For the first time he actually had a conversation with her.

It was nice, and he refused to think about he'd never told anyone else something about his past.

She was the first.

When he was rewarded with an insight to her mind, the little fantasy she'd had about her family, he'd gladly do it again.

They were completely different, but the parts of him that were missing she filled in. It worked the same for her. She was innocent, Daryl was damaged. Daryl felt as if he were already dead, and she had never seemed more alive.

They fit together like puzzle pieces.

They had fun splashing moonshine everywhere and Daryl loved listening to Beth's quiet little giggles.

He sloshed some at her sloppily and she gasped and hit him with some as well.

He huffed a small chuckle which made her grin grow. They covered as much of the house and porch they could and together they burnt down the shack.

She flipped it off and when she whacked his arm he followed suit, a small smile gracing his lips as his soul grew the tiniest bit lighter.

They stumbled through the woods, her giggle echoing off the trees around them.

Beth tripped over a tree root and fell to the ground with a gasp. Daryl laughed at her and tried to help her up.

She grinned and pulled him down next to her. She climbed onto his lap and put her hands on his shoulders.

Daryl wasn't laughing anymore, his blood was burning hotter than the shack they'd left behind,

"Oopsies," Beth whispered in his ear

" Yeah, you're definitely a light weight." He managed to whisper back, the skin of his shoulder tingling where her fingertips brushed against them.

Beth hummed and pressed her self down on his lap, wiggling slightly, "What're you doing?" He choked out.

"Just getting comfortable."

"You can't, we have to find a place to-" His words died when she skimmed her lips against his neck and inhaled then exhaled, her moist breath caressing the hot skin of his neck.

"We have to find a camp."

"Can we cuddle again when we get back?"

"Beth-"

She whimpered, wrapping her arms around his neck and squeezing his legs with her thighs.

"Please." Her tone did wonders to his lower regions and grimaced as he hardened, it'd been stirring as she'd squirmed but luckily they both wore jeans. Her voice though, it was breathless and needy, and closer than hell to his ear.

He imagined her begging him for other things and he almost groaned as the images floated around in his head.

"Just get off."

She did, but she wrapped herself around his arm, his bicep resting in the valley between her breasts as she rubbed her cheek against his skin.

"Find your camp Mister. Dixon." She murmured.

He found a place to stay for the night but he walked them in circles to prolong the inevitable. He had hoped she forget about her question.

As soon as he stopped and they began setting up in their usual routine he calmed a bit. He left to do one sweep of the area, when he came back he was frozen in the opening.

Beth had unzipped both their sleeping bags, using one as padding and the other as a blanket. Her eyes were closed and her hair fanned out around her head like a halo.

He hoped she was asleep, but as soon as he crawled beside her she was wrapping her limbs around him.

He felt her heat through their clothes and he cursed fate for making Beth Greene so damn perfect.

He tried to ignore the lust, repeating to himself over and over that she was too young and too pure for him. The more he thought about it the more his mind and body betrayed him.

He liked how clean cut and innocent she was compared to him, he couldn't help but imagine how she would look being corrupted.

And as much as he was ashamed of wanting her, he was also equally drawn to her _because_ of her age. She was untainted. If he ever took her she'd be completely his. Probably for the rest of time.

As he slowly fell asleep next to her his mind lowered some barrier and the thought of just giving in and sampling her, just once at least, because it was really inevitable and he should do it before it got even worse made itself known.

He woke up from his dream with a start. Beth was mumbling beside him in her sleep.

Somewhere in the night they wound up spooning, her backside pressed firmly against his groin.

His arm was resting over her, his hand almost touching her breast.

He thought back to when he'd been yelling at her in a drunken anger, dragging her outside and grabbing her, pulling her against his body.

His hand had brushed against her tits then, and the shot of lust had made it past his rage for a few seconds.

He moved his hand ever so slightly, cupping the flesh of one in his hand.

She stirred in her sleep, turning towards him and opening her eyes.

He flushed, deeply humiliated as he realized he'd been caught molesting her.

"Fuck, Beth I-"

"Thank god," she interrupted him, one of her hands grabbing his hair and pulling him closer.

Her lips crashed against his.

His entire being just froze as her lips trembled against his.

She pulled away, biting her lip and looking rejected.

Her fingers began to loosen in his hair and Daryl finally reacted.

One of his hands reached down to her thigh, hiking her leg up and over his so that her center pressed against his.

He pushed against her back so that her entire body pressed against his.

"This what you want?" He questioned her.

He saw the nervousness in her eyes as she nodded quickly.

He captured her lips this time, putting her into a fog of desire as his lips feathered across hers slightly. He increased the pressure, his mouth claiming hers hotly.

His tongue darted out, teasing along the seam of her lips.

She wasn't sure what to do, but when his hand slipped down to her ass and squeezed it she gasped, allowing his tongue to sweep against her.

He moaned, her eyes rolling back into her head as he worked her with his tongue. Eventually he pulled back and bit her lip.

She did it back and he thrust his hips, the friction causing all of the blood in her body to turn to lava.

She kissed him madly, her hands roaming over his shoulders, chest, and neck. Her nails scraped against his skin and he groaned, pressing himself even closer.

His hand slipped between them, skimming over the side of her breast over and over until he suddenly ripped her tank top down, exposing one bra-clad mound.

His finger skimmed where the fabric met her skin and her breath hitched in expectation.

He moved the cup down, her little pink nipple pebbling beneath his gaze.

He looked up at her eyes and saw the curiosity and desire in her gaze.

Her innocence made him even harder and he bent down to the breast, blowing his breath across it. She shivered in his arms and he smirked before darting his tongue out, testing her reaction as he traced around her nipple.

She writhed beneath him, pushing her jean clad pussy against his restrained erection.

Daryl growled and took the nipple in his mouth, ready to watch her lose control.

She moaned, the sound traveled down his spine. His entire body burned for her, but his dick was practically begging for attention.

He ground it against her, his mouth continuing his assault on her nipples.

They tasted wonderful and fit perfectly in between his lips.

He moved his hand lower, cupping her through her jeans. She tensed but her hand didn't try and stop him. When she put it on his arm it was to guide it up and under her jeans.

His fingers dipped beneath her panties, dancing across her untouched flesh.

Her folds were slick with desire and when he found her little clit and flicked it she practically jerked in his arms. He was forced to relinquish her nipple to take her mouth, quieting her screams as his thumb continued to twirl her clit and he slid his index finger into her tightness.

He could barely move one finger inside of her, there was no way she'd be ready to do anything else that night.

Strangely enough this was enough, watching her pupils dilate and take over the innocent blue, seeing her naked breasts heaving, brushing against his chest.

Her fingernails dug into his arm as he slid a second finger in at the same time he sucked on her tongue.

One more stroke of his thumb and he felt her walls clenching around his fingers.

She whimpered and screamed into his mouth and when he pulled away to hear it his name fell from her lips and he came out of no where, right inside his jeans.

He kept her fingers inside of her and his eyes on her face until he climax ended. He withdrew his fingers and brought them to his mouth, sucking the juices and rolling his eyes into the back of his head at the taste of her.

"Best thing I've ever tasted." Daryl said.


	5. Chapter 5

The next morning when Beth awoke Daryl was gone. She wasn't sure if what had happened had been just a dream.

Surely Daryl hadn't woken her in the middle of the night with an intimate touch, and he most definitely hadn't done things to her she'd never even contemplated.

But she had liked it, no, she'd loved it. Every minute and every feeling he gave her was branded to her memory.

Beth got up, noticing that her top was pulled down and that there was a slight ache in her groin.

She adjusted her clothes and emerged from the tent, squinting at the harsh light of the sun. Their camp looked the same as it always did, but she felt different.

Daryl was sitting across from her, his eyes boring a hole into the ground.

Beth stopped short, playing with her hair absently. "H-hi, good morning."

He looked up at her shy tone, his face unreadable.

Beth was spurred by his silence and she started mumbling. It started out as an apology, it really did. But soon enough she was doing the opposite.

"I'm glad it happened! I've been watching you for a while, Daryl. I wanted you to realize I wasn't a little girl and do something about it. We're out here, alone, there's no one for miles and miles. We wouldn't be interrupted, heard, or teased about it. We could do all kinds of things but instead you treat me like some teenager."

"You are a teenager!" He stood up, his strong body intimidating her even from feet away.

"I'm eighteen! I'm old enough to make my own decisions and if I want you then-"

"You're playing with fire, girl." Daryl growled, stalking towards her until their chests were almost touching.

Her cheeks flamed up and she wanted to throw herself at him. He was so close and now she knew what kind of magic he could work with his fingers, she could remember the way his lips had tasted against hers.

Hot and spicy, so delicious it was almost unbearable.

He smelled as intoxicating as the night before and Beth couldn't stop her hands from grasping his neck, pulling him down gently to eye level.

"I know." She whispered, she felt lightheaded, nerves and doubts tiptoeing their way out of the corners of her brain.

They were burnt away as his hands found her waist, gripping the flesh of them firmly in his rough hands.

She looked down at those fingers, remembering how they'd been inside her a few hours before. Her eyes danced back up and caught on his lips.

His tongue darted along them and she stretched up, kissing his bottom lip softly before catching it gently between her teeth.

"Don't pretend it didn't happen." She murmured, removing her hands and looking up at him like she was waiting for him to break her heart.

"Okay." It was mostly a grunt, but Beth smiled up and him and waited, thinking he might kiss her again.

He didn't. But Beth wasn't too concerned, this whole thing was new for her and she could tell from the way he acted towards her that he was unsure of himself and what they should be doing.

Although he was physically awkward towards her, flinching when their skin brushed or seizing up if she got too close, emotionally and conversationally it was like the flood gates had opened. He talked with her easily about his life.

He had no problem recounting his many adventures with Merle Dixon, or how he'd spent years of saving money to afford the crossbow he carried everywhere with him.

She told him about how much she missed dancing and singing in the church choir, and playing with all the pets they'd once had.

He asked her about the kids at the prison and she was able to repeat their names in order of age and each of their back stories and personalities. She had a lot of stories to tell about them and he listened to every word she said and then held her as she cried after she remembered they were all probably dead.

He answered a lot of her questions, even some they the could have easily told her not to ask about.

"So, were you single when it all happened?"

"Single?"

"Yeah, like, you weren't married or seeing any one?"

He smirked at her, "Naw,"

"And how about after?"

"I ain't had a proper girlfriend in over a decade." He told her, eyeing her like she was crazy.

"Oh," Beth blushed, "I thought you and Carol,"

"Pfft," he rolled his eyes, disregarding her. "Carol is, or was, just Carol. We talked sometimes, and she made sure I got meals brought up to me while I was on guard duty." He shrugged.

"That's all? But you were so familiar with her,"

"Well I knew her, back to the very beginning of this. I was there when her husband died and when her daughter did. I never judged her like the rest of ya. All of this shit started happening and she got stronger because of it. She did what I-" He stopped suddenly, his neck and shoulders bulging from his tension.

She stopped with him, thinking maybe he'd seen some type of threat. A quick glance around them proved that to be untrue, she looked up to see his eyes shut tightly.

"Are you okay?"

"What's with the third degree?" He growled, shaking her hand off of him and striding away so quickly Beth was forced to almost jog to keep up with him.

She was confused, wondering what the hell had happened. Their conversation had been relaxed, and he'd seem perfectly fine before he snapped.

"Wait, Daryl!" Beth hissed, almost losing sight of him as he stalked ahead. "Daryl!"

She gasped as her foot hooked on something and she fell to the ground. Her hands scraped on the twigs and rocks beneath her.

Daryl turned, his eyes frantic, "Beth?" He started walking over to her quickly. He dropped to her side and looked her over quickly.

Beth shrugged his hands off and glared. "What is wrong with you? I've been dealing with your mood swings for days. You told me you wouldn't pretend that nothing happened but you haven't touched me, haven't talked about it. And you're even meaner than before sometimes."

He glared at her as she took a breath. Just as she opened her mouth to continue her assault on him his hand grabbed the nape of her neck, pulling her in for a hard kiss.

She groaned and her eyes widened in shock. This was only the third time they'd kissed and the sensation was new and exciting. His lips were much rougher than hers, but they fit almost perfectly against them. His stubble scratched her sensitive chin and cheeks, but the feeling only heightened the sensitivity of her skin.

His hand, hot and calloused, explored the exposed skin of her neck and back, leaving goosebumps in their wake. She trembled and whimpered, her tongue tickled against his lips awkwardly, but he rewarded her for trying by opening his mouth for her.

He let her take the lead, falling back to his ass and maneuvering her legs on either side of his so that she hovered just above his crotch.

He pulled at her hair, which she found she liked a lot, and she practically bucked against him, a deep feeling of need that she was unfamiliar with awaking inside of her.

She was aching for _something_ down there, the entire expanse of her thighs quivered and the material of her panties were wet from her desire.

She was embarrassed, especially when one hand cupped her through her jeans and he growled, "You're soaking your jeans for me, girl."

She buried her face in his neck, wincing. But he seemed to like that she was so wet because he wasted no time in undoing her button and sliding the little metal zipper down.

His knuckles brushed against her curls through her panties and she moaned quietly.

"Please," she lamented, her sex was weeping for something to happen.

His other hand hastily pushed her jeans down her legs and pulled aside the scrap of material shielding her from his view.

It was different in the light of the day with no covers keeping them from seeing what was happening. His eyes were practically devouring her curls and the little hint of glistening pink lips.

His fingers skimmed the inside of her thighs, leaving them tingling and her center throbbing with need.

Two fingers parted her lips, exposing her entrance, his eyes lapped up the view, smoldering like burning coals as he teased the little hole with his finger.

He slid the tip in and she squeezed her eyes shut, embarrassed at how wet she was and feeling too vulnerable in that moment.

"Open your eyes," he commanded.

She did, connecting with him once more as her walls clenched around his middle finger. She couldn't resist and began to rock against him, his palm brushing against her clit as she did so.

She moved with abandon as something coiled tightly inside of her, a need so powerful she was almost crying in frustration to feel it.

He grabbed one of her hands and put it on the front of his jeans and her fingers curled instinctively around his hardness. She was wary of it, it felt big and even through his clothes she could feel the heat radiating from it.

But she wanted to feel it skin to skin, to know what it looked like. She fumbled with his zipper and he let her, his hooded eyes watching her pant with need and ride his finger like a cowgirl as she tried desperately to free his erection. It was one of the most erotic sights he'd seen so far.

She finally manged to lower his zipper, but when she pushed down his jeans she gasped in shock. He hadn't been wearing underwear and his erection sprang forward, the tip almost touching her stomach.

She tested the velvety skin of him with her fingertips, following the veins down and back up and running her thumb over the slit.

She must have done something right, because suddenly he withdrew his finger and pulled her palm from around his erection.

He kissed her fiercely, his tongue and lips relentless against her own. She felt the crown of him dipping past her curls and pressing against her sensitive bud.

She was scared, and when she pulled back to look into his eyes she knows he can tell. But she doesn't hesitate, she lets him see how much she trusts him and rubs herself along his length. The hot skin of his erection different from his fingers, but so much more erotic.

She moaned with each stroke, moving faster and faster against him.

"I want you to come like this." His voice is nothing but a deep snarl in her ear.

The head of him prods against her entrance and the shock of pleasure that follows coupled with the steady rhythm of boneless desire that she felt with every slippery move against his erection drove her to insanity.

Daryl's hands cupped her ass, pulling her faster and firmer along him until suddenly she gasped, her eyes rolling into her head and a deep moan escaping her mouth.

"Oh god, Daryl, oh my god." His name felt like a prayer as she rode the waves of pleasure, his hardness even slicker than ever.

He used one hand to push her face against his neck, trying to muffle her loud moans.

She bit his neck, mostly out of instinct and the thought that it'd make her quiet.

Boy was she wrong, her teeth piercing his skin made Daryl groan loudly in her ear and thrust against her hard and fast, his fingers digging into her ass to hold her in place as the head of his pressed against her entrance over and over again, causing her to moan so loudly and highly it was more like a squeal.

When she felt something hot and sticky spurt against her she let go oh his neck, gasping and shivering at the shock of pleasure and satisfaction it gave her to feel his release dripping down her thigh.

He pulled away and she looked at him. His dark hair plastered to his face and stuck up in random places, his entire body was covered in a thin sheen of sweat, and his lips were red and swollen.

He was the most handsome man she'd ever lay eyes on.

"I'm sorry, Beth."

"It's okay."

"S'not. I'm just... I'm fucked up, okay?"

"You're not," She reached her hand between them to play with his facial hair a bit, a soft smile playing on her lips.

"Beth I'm at least ten years older than you, I ain't nothing but an old perverted red neck pining after a school girl." He stood up, securing his pants around his waist.

"Don't say that, you aren't like that all!"

"I am! I can't even look at you lately without remembering the way you sounded the other night. Hell, I've spent a couple of weeks with you and I damn near tell you shit about myself I ain't never told no one before. It ain't right."

"Stop it." Beth wraps her arms around his middle, pressing her cheek against his heart. "I don't know what to say to make you feel better... I want this, Daryl. I've never wanted anything this much."

"Are you sure it ain't just because you think we're the last two people alive?"

"I know there are others out there. I can feel it."

He rests his chin on her forehead, holding her close to his chest.

"I don't want what you said on the porch to come true. I don't want to be the last one standing. I don't want to miss you, Beth Greene."


	6. Chapter 6

The nights got colder and colder as Daryl and Beth made their way through Georgia, they were heading to no specific place. Most days, Beth felt as if they were just walking in circles.

Daryl had been teaching her things, and suddenly one day she was just better. She was faster, stronger, and deadly accurate with the weapons they had on them.

Daryl showed her a better way to hold her blade, and the best places to stab walkers and humans alike. She didn't like the thought of killing a person, but she knew that in this world, she would have to.

She became a decent shot with his crossbow, if the game stood still long enough for her to aim, and Daryl told her she was tracking better than most people, but she still couldn't hold a candle to him.

Today Daryl was showing her hand to hand combat.

"You're tiny," he told her, "you look weak so you need to use that to your advantage. Sway, limp, make yourself look even smaller."

"Why? Shouldn't I just act like I can kick their ass?"

"Maybe, if you were Micchone, but that won't work for you. They won't expect you to fight."

Beth frowned but listened as Daryl gave her directions, then he made them play through a few skits and taught her how to throw a punch.

Later, when he'd gone off to hunt and she'd started a fire and strewn their fishing wire around the camp, he came back but didn't announce himself.

He ducked under the wire and stopped behind her, his footsteps and breathing silent.

He wrapped an arm around her chest and drew her back against him roughly, eliciting a small gasp.

"Daryl?" She tried to twist around but he tightened his grip.

"Remember what I taught you?" He asked, his voice a deep whisper against her ear.

She shivered, suddenly unable to concentrate.

"Break out of it, girl."

"What if I don't want to?" She asked him boldly, turning her head so that her cheek and jaw skimmed across his lips.

Daryl scowled and tightened his arms, adjusting so that her backside wasn't pressing as tightly against him, "Beth," He warned.

She shimmied against him, smiling and biting her lip when he groaned and buried his face in her neck to kiss her sensitive skin.

"Concentrate." He growled.

Beth pouted up at him, which only caused his scowl to deepen, "Behave."

"Make me." She challenged.

She was lying on the hard ground in less than a second, her breath knocked out of her.

"Daryl!" Before she could even get up he was straddling her hips, one hand grabbing both of her wrists and securing them far above her head.

"This isn't a joke." He hissed, his face hovering above hers. "What if I'd been someone else?"

He grabbed the edge of her shirt and pulled it up, exposing her stomach and breasts to his eyes.

She tried to buck him off of her, but he was stronger than her.

"Always be on guard, and don't hesitate. If someone gets you into this position it's going to be harder than hell to get loose, so never let yourself be caught." He sneered, his face inches from her own.

His fingers loosened around her wrists so that she could break free. Her face burned with embarrassment and shame. She felt like an immature child.

She pulled her shirt down, rolling out from underneath him and feeling the sting of tears behind her eyes.

"Why do you have to be so.. so-" Beth groaned and threw her hands up in defeat and walked into the tent angrily.

Daryl followed her, "You ain't a child Beth and I ain't gonna treat you like one. I'm gonna tell you how it is and how this world is. Do you think the next man that knocks you on the ground is gonna let you go?"

Beth ignored him, rolling her sleeping bag up and putting it into the backpack.

"Are you listening to me?" Daryl grabbed her arm, forcefully turning her to face him.

"Okay!" She yelled, pulling her arm away. "I heard you!"

He snorted and let go of her arm, leaving the tent so she could angrily pack up their things.

When she emerged he didn't look up at her, and she didn't try and start a conversation.

She followed behind instead of next to him, which bothered him more than it did her.

She was looking down at her boots, noticing a new hole in the tip that exposed the material of her sock.

With a gasp she ran into Daryl's hard chest, his hands grabbing her forearms to stop her from falling.

She looked up, surprised to see his face hovering closely to hers.

"What's wrong?" Beth asked, looking around quickly. "Walkers?" She whispered, her hand going to her knife.

But he stopped her movements, backing her up until she hit a tree.

"Daryl?"

His lips crashed against hers and she stiffened at the surprise contact.

The scruff of his facial hair left her cheeks stinging, but she welcomed the feeling. It intensified their kiss, made her tremble as she imagined the stinging feeling in other places.

Against her neck, her breasts, and even between her thighs. It was something he hadn't done to her, and she'd only heard brief mentions of it from Maggie, so she wasn't quite sure how to initiate it.

Daryl leaned back, his lips leaving hers. His fingers were tangled in her hair and her hands had wound themselves tightly in his vest.

"Sorry." Daryl said, before he let go of her completely and grabbed her hand to pull her beside him as they continued to walk.

Beth stumbled next to him for a while, confused. She was still angry at him, and she was still embarrassed. She'd felt rejected back at the camp, and also as if he was being way too rough with her. But then he had to go and kiss her, and mutter an apology.

She didn't want to give in that easily, she was stronger than that. This was their first fight, she couldn't just-

He stopped suddenly, pointing ahead of him.

Just through the trees was what looked to be the parking lot for a camp site.

There was three cars parked there, and from their stopping point they could hear the growls of walkers.

"Should we?" Beth asked him, palming her knife quickly.

Daryl bit his lip, looking down at her.

"It's getting colder, we need warmer clothes, more food, medicine just in case."

"How many do you think?"

He listened carefully, "at least a few. There's three cars, each car can hold a few people..."

Beth looked around her, then spotted the tree next to them. She followed the trunk up, noting how low the first branches were.

"Daryl, give me a boost?"

"What?"

"Come on, I'll climb the tree and see how many there is."

"What if you fall?" He seemed genuinely concerned, and Beth's heart warmed considerably at it.

"I grew up on a farm, climbing trees is just in my blood."

Daryl sighed but put his hands around her waist to lift her tiny form. She grabbed the first branch and scrambled onto it, looking down to grin at Daryl.

"I haven't done this since I was a kid."

"Don't tell me that." He growled, concern etching into the lines of his face.

"Calm down."

She climbed easily enough, and wondered why she hadn't thought of doing this before. Up in the trees the world was different. Walkers couldn't climb, and no one could see her that far up.

She peeked her head down, barely able to see the top of Daryl's head.

"Should stay up here, that'd teach him a lesson." She grumbled to herself. She wouldn't, though. Even if she did, he'd probably just follow her up.

She finally made it far enough that she could see the small dirt parking lot.

There was seven walkers, and two piles of what was once human beings. They were all skinny things, barely moving except for small jerks.

She noted their positions and quickly shimmied down the tree. When she made it to the lowest branch Daryl was exactly as she had left him.

He saw her and a weight lifted itself from his chest. He held out his hands and sighed as she dropped into them almost immediately. He buried his face against her hair for a few moments.

"There's seven. Two right next to the trees, the rest are closer to the little cabin. There might be more inside. It looks like it's a check in for the camp site."

He nodded, "Are you ready?"

She lifted her blade, her face set into a grimace, "I guess."

They worked quickly, almost efficiently. They were side by side, dispatching the walkers in movements that were so similar one would think they'd synchronized their movements

Daryl had been training her, and so her style was a replica of his, changed only to accommodate her smaller stature.

The seven walkers were down easily, and they stood in front of the cabin.

It had seen better days, the wooden siding was splintered and bleached from the sun. The porch creaked and the steps almost gave away beneath Daryl's feet.

There must have been a window once, but it was haphazardly boarded up.

Daryl knocked on the door and listened, Beth standing behind him in case any stray walker made itself known.

No growls came from inside the house, and when the door creaked open the only smell that followed was must and moth balls.

The cabin wasn't much, a front desk, old checkered couch, dirty fireplace, and a small kitchen with a rusted wood stove.

Above their heads was a small landing where a bed and a dresser could be seen. There was no bathroom, and Daryl told Beth there was probably an outhouse in the back.

The entire wall against the door held a display case of maps, knives, fire starting kits, and granola bars. Next to it was a few cases of water and Gatorade. There was a stack of sleeping bags and a stack of hiking boots in different sizes.

"Looks like he lived and worked here." Beth said, grabbing a bottle of water.

Daryl looked behind the desk, smirking when he pulled a bottle of whisky from behind it and an entire carton of cigarettes. "My kind of man."

"How do you know it's not a woman?"

Daryl snorted and hung a cigarette between his lips.

"Ya got a light sweetheart?"

Her heart jumped at the endearment and she blushed slightly. "No."

He chuckled and pointed behind her.

"You have matches in your pack!"

"Why don't ya wanna light it for me?" He hopped up on the counter, obviously getting enjoyment from teasing her.

"You're a big boy." She told him, intending to walk past him and give the rest of the cabin a better look.

His arm shot out to stop her and he pulled her between his knees, not exactly smiling but looking amused all the same.

"What's wrong, Greene?"

Beth scowled, "I'm still mad at you."

He glared down at her, "said I was sorry."

"That doesn't mean you didn't hurt my feelings."

She tries to walk away, but his hands don't leave her arms.

"How?"

Beth blushes slightly, and finally frees herself. "It's nothing, just give me time. I'll get over it."

He watches her walk away and she sighs, climbing the ladder that led to the 'bedroom'. The bed was small and dusty. She tore the sheets off of it and covered it with a blanket that she found folded in the dresser.

Inside the dresser was a few pairs of shirts, too small for Daryl and too big for Beth. She put one on anyways, tying it off to the side so that it didn't hang. The jeans looked like they might fit Daryl so she threw a couple of them on the bed. She added socks and boxers to the pile.

She jumped when Daryl's chest pressed against her back, his hands pushing the drawer she was fiddling with closed.

He brushes her hair away from her neck and presses his lips to her pulse point.

She shivers and melts against him, her body unable to resist him.

His fingers trail up and down her arms, leaving goosebumps.

"Tell me." He murmurs against her skin, and she closes her eyes.

"I just... it's all too much. I don't want to be... like that. I don't want to, I don't if I could." She sniffles as tears threaten to fall, "if someone found me and they wanted to do that to me, they could. I'm too weak."

His fingers never stop ghosting across her arms, and he kisses her neck again.

"And, sometimes I feel like I'm in over my head. I'm young, and weak, and inexperienced. I don't know what I'm doing half the time. I feel like you're just gonna wake up one day and not bother with me anymore."

Daryl's fingers still, only to wrap around her arms and turn her around to face him. She focuses on his chest instead of his eyes, wanting to finish.

"I'm a virgin, Daryl. I can't possibly be sexy to you, I-"

Her words were stopped with his lips on hers.

"Stop it." He growled, pushing her back until she sat on the bed.

He crawled over her, making her scoot to the head board to make room for him. Nervousness exploded in her belly. Daryl had never looked so, intent, before.

His blue eyes slid over her figure possessively, and when they finally landed on her face she almost moaned at the look in his eyes.

He ends up between her legs, hovering above her. He doesn't touch her, but it's intimate all the same.

When his lips brush the corner of her mouth she shudders. His tongue darts out, teasing the seam of her lips. She opens immedietly, whimpering at the flick of his tongue against hers.

He doesn't deepen the kiss, he drives her crazy with gentle swipes and slow touches. She's a ball of desire when he lowers his hips against her, his hardness settling against her center.

Her body clenches with desire and she opens her eyes to look up at him.

"You ain't weak." He unties her shirt and slowly drags it up and over her arms. "And you may be young, and inexperienced." He plays with the straps of her bra, lets his fingers tease the swell of her breast, "but I like it."

He unhooks her bra, his eyes devouring her naked breasts and torso, licking his lips slightly. "I'm the only man who does this to ya." His voice deepened and his accent thickened with desire as he twirled his finger around one nipple before rolling between his thumb and index.

"Yer just bout the most beautiful thang I've ever seen." He leaned down to catch her other nipple in his mouth, scraping his teeth around the pink peaks before suckling gently.

She moans and wiggles beneath him, seeking friction. His hand leaves her breast to still her hips, grinning against her nipple.

"I care about ya." He looks up at her, his breath fanning across her wet nipple and his eyes meeting hers, pupils blown wide, "I'll keep ya safe until ya know ya can do it yerself. I'm yers until ya tell me otherwise."

"D-Daryl. " Beth couldn't get much more out. Her throat was tight with desire and emotion. Her mind fogged with desire and tenderness from his words.

She loved him, without a doubt in her mind.

"Daryl, I'm yours too." She finally manages to push words through her lips.

Daryl growls and captures her breasts again, torturing her as he practically worships the soft flesh and hard nipples.

She's rolling her hips against him, begging him for more. Her breaths and short and hard and her fingers weave through his hair and tug in desperation.

"I need more, please."

His fingers unbutton her pants and pull them down her legs quickly.

But instead of his fingers it's his head the moves teasingly down her ribcage.

His tongue dips around her navel, and his teeth nibble each hip bone. His nose brushes against her curls and she lifts her head to watch as he his hands wrap around each thigh to drag them open.

He licks his lips and that's the only warning he gives her.

His hair is soft against her thighs, and she was right about how good it felt to have his facial hair scratching against her soft skin.

His tongue drives her insane, lapping at her opening and twirling her clit. His fingers spread her apart easily and he practically devours her.

She's gasping, clenching, panting. Moans become desperate please and eventually turn into quiet screams as he continues relentlessly.

He slides his tongue inside of her, wiggling it and making her arch off of the bed and he practically drinks her in.

He's teasing her, prolonging her pleasure until it's unbearable.

"Please, please, please. Daryl. Oh my god, Daryl! Don't stop, please."

Her fingers hold his head against her and his hands hold her hips still as he takes her clit between his teeth, then his lips, suckling it like he had her nipples.

His fingers enter her, hooking around to hit her in a spot that has her cumming so suddenly that she can't stop the scream that follows.

His lips are on hers, swallowing the scream as he continues to push his fingers inside of her and grinding his palm against her, making her orgasm last for what seems like hours. His mouth keeps any moans from escaping as he suck hers tongue into his mouth.

When he stops Beth is quivering mess beneath him.

He looks down, his eyes drinking in her mussed hair, swollen lips, and red cheeks.

He wipes a bead of sweat from her brow and gives her a smile that is pure masculine pride. "Beautiful," He murmurs.

Later on Beth blushes every time he glances at her, but she's happier than she been in a while.

They sort through the cars out front. Beth finds a a gray cardigan that fits her well and is warm enough. There's no coats, but she isn't surprised. It was summer when these people went camping, they wouldn't have thought to bring coats.

Daryl does find a heavier jean jacket lined with flannel with a fleece collar and whoever owned the jeep had been about Daryl's size.

Beth has no luck on the pants or shoe front, but Daryl tells her that with the maps in the cabin they'll be able to find her something soon.

She's glad, it'd be nice to have clothes that fit.

Instead she wears one of the flannel shirts Daryl found. It's too big, but it's warm and clean.

That night Daryl gets a fire going in the fire place and Beth throws together a make shift dinner. They sit on the old torn up couch together and Beth rests her head on his shoulder.

He nuzzles her neck and she giggles.

He lets her lace their fingers together and she traces shapes on his knuckles.

He tells her a story, this one's about Rick, and she's surprised that he's talking about their family.

Soon enough she's telling him stories too. Maggie features almost every single one and Daryl can hear the longing, sadness, hope, and fear in her voice.

But it helps to talk about it, she realizes. If she talks about her family, she won't forget them.

Daryl makes her laugh that night, and she's thankful for it and for him. She tells him as such and he flushes so she leaves it at that. But he doesn't move away from her, he holds her all night, whispering in her ear about all of the things they're going to do to make the cabin safe.

She asks if they can look for their family and he doesn't answer her.

They move to the bed and he wraps his arms around her and she smiles up at him.

He kisses her softly and plays with her blonde curls.

When she's almost asleep her whispers in his ear, "We'll find them."


End file.
